Rural / Country

Primary industries most dangerous

13:54 pm on 15 October 2014

Newly released figures show agricultural, forestry and fishery jobs are the most dangerous in the country.

Statistics New Zealand said nearly a quarter of workers in the primary sector had a work-related injury claim accepted by the ACC last year.

Statistics New Zealand's customer, policy and research manager Michele Lloyd said the injury claims from the primary sector are far higher than in other occupation groups.

"For agriculture, forestry and fishery workers they have 226 work related injury claims per 1000 full-time equivalents in 2013."

Ms Lloyd said that compares with 187 claims per 1000 for trades workers.

While clerks and professionals are at the bottom who have 25 and 33 claims per 1000 full time equivalents respectively.